Spice Up Your Trail Food.

......Spice up your trail food.



Ramen Noodles. A hiker staple.

So I have been looking at foods and recipes to replace or add additional flavor and calories to the old staples of Ramen and Korrs side dishes for my dinners when hiking. I don't mind these as I generally just want a quick hot dinner and head off to bed after a tiring day of tramping over hill and dale.  However, on a long hike, eating the same foods day after day can become very boring.  Yes, you can spice up your boiling bag of noodles with plants such as ramps when in season, but it is nice to be able to really vary the flavor factor from time to time, not to mention while resupplying in town totally being able to change the food you are carrying just for variety.

So, this is the first of hopefully several different recipes that may lead you to thinking about what you carry in your food bag on that long hike.  If anyone has a great recipe that is light and packs calories, feel free to email me and I will add it to a future post.



Here is a breakfast that beats pop tarts and breakfast bars:

Instant Cream of Wheat or Oatmeal in your favorite flavor, add slivered almonds and whatever dried fruit you have available.
A hard boiled egg.  Yes I know that is difficult, Just grab a dozed eggs while in town and boil them the night before you leave the hostel you are enjoying.  Take a couple with you for the next mornings breakfast and give the rest away to other hikers.  I guarantee you you will be loved!
If no hard boiled eggs, freezer bag cook some powered eggs and add some red pepper flakes and a bit of jerky.  Or try adding a few dried veggies and onion flakes to have a scrambled egg "hikers omelet".
Your favorite hot beverage of choice.

Here is a dinner that is supposed to be amazing on the trail.  I haven't tried it but it will be in my food bag on my next hike.  This comes from hiking guru Bob Gabrielsen and is very easy to prepare.

Backcounty Thanksgiving:

Chicken in a foil packet with stove top stuffing.  Don't forget to mix in some craisens in with it.  Sounds delicious and hearty!

Another suggestion using stove top stuffing is to add dehydrated potatoes and spam.  Yes I know, spam. You are not a hiker if you do not add spam to your food bag.  Easy to carry and packs a fair amount of protein and calories for its weight.  Heat or fry the  the span on your stove first.

Another one that I found on a FaceBook page is this.  At lunch, put dehydrated peas in water and carry till supper time.  At supper, measure water needed for Near East Brand Cous cous with roasted garlic and olive oil, add additional olive oil, the peas and a pouch of chicken.
Bring to a boil.
Add the spice packet and cous cous.
Stir and remove from heat.
Let it sit in a cozy for 10 minutes,
Fluff with fork, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and enjoy.


Another thing I carry is Bear Creek Veggie Beef dry soup mix.  First, the soup made from this mix is delicious, second, this brand can be found at most grocery stores and even at some of the dollar type places.  Secondly, the mix can be added to your other dishes to give your dinner flavor as well as some needed vitamins from the dehydrated veggies.  Remember the powdered eggs!  Throw some of this in with them when rehydrating the eggs.  Tastes great.

Also remember that hard salami and hard cheeses will last without refrigeration.  So add a bit of salami, summer sausage, cheese into your dinner pot. Your taste buds and body will thank you.

Now, I want to hit the trail and let some of the hikers drool over my "gourmet" meals while they are eating Ramen and Snickers Bars.  Ok, I may pack a bit of extra and share with a thru hiker or two....

Keep putting those feet in front of you one step at the time and enjoy the vistas.